Eileen Gu’s third gold injects fresh momentum into final day of Milan Cortina 2026

Eileen Gu gave the final day of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics an early jolt — a high-scoring freeski halfpipe run that landed a 94. 75 and secured her third career gold and her third medal of these Games. That result didn’t just add to the medal count; it reframed the mood in the arenas and among viewers, offering a clear highlight before tonight’s closing ceremony.

How Eileen Gu’s win changed the arc of closing-day energy

Here’s the part that matters: a dominant performance at the start of Day 16 concentrated attention on freestyle skiing just as organizers and athletes prepared to wrap the fortnight. A single, high-value run like the 94. 75 score can do more than deliver a podium moment — it sets the emotional tone for the final hours, directing fan reaction and media focus toward a standout individual achievement rather than only team or national tallies.

What's easy to miss is how this kind of result intersects with the rest of a closing day packed with marquee events and ceremonies; it makes the evening feel like a crescendo instead of an administrative end point.

Event details and the final-day picture

The freeski halfpipe final had been postponed before the decisive round. When it did conclude, the winning run posted a 94. 75 score, sealing a third career gold for the athlete and marking her third medal of these Games. That victory unfolded as other final competitions were concluding and as teams prepared for tonight’s closing ceremony.

Across the program, the men’s hockey final produced a dramatic outcome: the United States claimed gold after a 1-1 draw in regulation and an overtime period that saw a game-winning score shortly after extra time began. The closing-day slate also included cross-country and curling golds and a notable two-for-one result in the four-man bobsled for Germany. All of this fed into the broader medal standings, where Norway finished with the most medals and the highest gold total, and the United States placed second in overall medals.

• Third gold and third medal at these Games for Eileen Gu after a 94. 75 championship run.
• Men’s hockey produced a U. S. gold following a 1-1 draw and an overtime winner early in extra time.
• Closing ceremony was scheduled for the same evening, with the last competitions wrapping up hours before the show.
• Norway ended atop the medal table with a record-setting gold total; the United States finished second in total medals.

Key takeaways for readers and fans: the final day mixed individual brilliance and team drama, and the freeski halfpipe result provided a singular highlight ahead of the ceremonial finale. If you’re wondering why this keeps coming up, it’s because high-impact individual performances often dominate the narrative at the very end of multi-sport events.

The real question now is how tonight’s closing ceremony will balance celebration with the memory of recent competitive peaks — from the 94. 75 halfpipe run to the tight, overtime hockey finish — as the Games formally conclude.

Micro timeline (final day):

• Early Day 16: freeski halfpipe final completes; winning score 94. 75.
• Later in the day: men’s hockey final resolved in overtime after a 1-1 draw.
• Evening: closing ceremony scheduled to cap the Milan Cortina program.

It’s easy to overlook, but single performances with large margins on the scoreboard often outlast broader narratives — they become the clips and images that define a Games in highlight reels and memory.